Hartford, CT - Governor Dannel Malloy, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman and the State Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino last week hailed United Health Foundation’s 2016 America’s Health Rankings, which show that Connecticut is the 3rd healthiest state in the nation, behind only Hawaii and Massachusetts. Last year, Connecticut was ranked 6th. The rankings are based on a comprehensive health assessment of each state including behaviors, community and environment, public and health policies, and clinical care.

"This is yet another example of why Connecticut is such a great place to live, work, and raise a family. We're one of the healthiest states in the nation, we have one of the most educated workforces, and so much more,” said Governor Malloy. “This report is a reflection of the concerted efforts by Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, our Department of Public Health and their partners to continuously improve outcomes for all Connecticut residents. While our state is leading on many important indicators, Connecticut is not immune to the opioid epidemic facing the nation. That’s why we must continue to be steadfast in our work to prevent prescription drug misuse and combat this crisis.”

“From establishing one of the nation’s most successful healthcare marketplaces to our ongoing work to expand care and address disparities in treatment and outcomes, and reduce cost, Connecticut is making strong progress on healthcare. Just as importantly, we are positioning the state to continue making gains,” said Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman. “I applaud Governor Malloy, Commissioner Pino, and the Connecticut Department of Public Health team for their commitment to a healthier state, a stronger workforce, and our continued leadership on healthcare.”

The report highlighted Connecticut’s highest-in-the-nation childhood immunization rates, low prevalence of smoking, and low incidences of infectious disease as reasons for the state’s high ranking. However, the report also noted several challenges still being faced by the state including high levels of air pollution, high levels of excessive drinking and large health disparities based on educational attainment.

“I am extremely proud of the work done by the Department, along with our partners in local health and other organizations, which contributed to this ranking,” said Commissioner Pino. “The report also shows that we have room for growth and improvement, particularly in the area of health equity. Our focus at DPH will continue to be working to address health disparities, which affect people throughout the state regardless of where they live. We are working to reduce high rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma and other chronic diseases that are driving up our healthcare costs, largely due to expensive, preventable hospital visits and hospital readmissions.”

According to United Health Foundation, nationally the United States continues to see lower rates of smoking, preventable hospital visits, and numbers of uninsured. The report also noted several national health challenges facing the country including higher rates of cardiovascular disease and drug deaths and a high prevalence of obesity.